Time damper-regulator.



Patented Dec. 23, |902. T. E. HUNT.

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En few ITn STATES THOMAS E. HUNT, or BLUE ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

TIIVIE DAMPER-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 716,548, dated December 23, 1902. Application filed December 14,1901. Serial No. 85,941. (No model.)

To @ZZ wwnt t may concern:

Beit known that I, THOMAS E. HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blue Island, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Time Damper-Regulators for Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to regulators which are actuated at a predetermined hour or division of an hour to open the draft-damper of a furnace and, if opened, drop the checkdamper of a furnace.

The objects of the invention are to construct a reliable, efficient, and practical time damper-regulator by the use of which at a predetermined hour or division of an hour the draft-damper will be opened by and through the action of the release mechanism operated from a clock as the predetermined time is reached by the clock; to improve the construction and operation of the release mechanism actuated from the clock and the connection thereof with the controlling appliance of the draft-damper and the check-damper of the furnace; to improve the connection between the draft-damperand the check-damper of the furnace as to the control of the connection through a tension, either a coiled spring, weight, or other device; to improve the connection between the draft-damper and the check-damper for operating the draftdamper alone or both dampers, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the time draft-controlling mechanism as a whole.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereiuafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation showing the arrangement and application of the time damper-regulator to a furnace; Fig. 2, an edge elevation of the releasing members of the appliance; Fig. 3, a front face View of the parts shown in Fig. 2, showing also the winding-button of the alarm for a clock in juxtarelation to the catch or drop-arm for raising the catch or arm; and Fig. 4, an elevation of the back of an alarm-clock, showing only the button for setting the alarm and the button for winding the alarm.

The release elements of the invention,

which, as shown, consist of a drop-rod and a pivoted catch or trip-arm forholding the droprod in its elevated position, are carried on a supporting-plate A, and extending out from the lower end of the plate is a shelf 0r rest B, which is of a semicircular shape in crosssection to adapt it for the reception of the body of a clock having a circular case. The su pporting-plate and the shelf or rest may be formed integral from cast metal, or these parts may be formed separate and united firmly one to the other, and, as shown, the plate A has therethrough a hole a for the passage of a screw, by means of which the plate can be secured in place on a wall or other support, and the shelf or rest B has extending thereinto from its outer end slots b, which slots are so arranged as to pass the feet or legs of the clock, and thereby hold the clock on the shelf or rest.

The drop rod or bar of the release mechanism in the form shown has its body circular in cross-section, and on one side of the body are notches c, two notches being provided, as shown, but more than two can be used, if desired, and instead of notches other suitable stops may be employed. The upper end of the rod or bar is turned at right angles to the body and forms a handle or lifter C', and, as shown, the lower end of the drop rod or bar is cut away to form an ear or eye c' for the attachment of the connecting chain or cord leading to the chain or cord between the draft-damper and the check-damper. The drop rod or bar passes through a projecting lugD near the upper end of the plate A, at one side of the longitudinal center of the plate,on the front face thereof, and, as shown, a cushionA d, of rubber or other deadening material, is located on the upper face of the lug, so as to prevent noise with the falling or descent of the drop rod or bar. The lower end of the rod extends through a hole b', formed therefor in the shelf or rest B, and the rod or bar is of a length sufiicient to leave the lower end extending below the under face of the rest or shelf when the rod or bar is raised, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A catch or trip-arm E, having an engaging end e and. a lifting or contacting arm e', is pivoted by a suitable pin or pivot e2 to the face of the plate A and is held away from the plate, so

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as to lie outside of the drop rod or bar, by a stud e3 on the face of the plate, as shown in Fig. 2. The catch or engaging end e of lthe catch or trip -arln is formed to enter the notches of the drop rod or bar and hold the rod or bar in an elevated position when raised, and the lifting-arm e is of a requisite length to pass over the lifter therefor, which may be the button of an alarm-clock, as shown, or other means actuated from the clock and adapted t0 be set and released at a stated hour or division of an hour or period of time. A chain or cord F is attached at one end to the ear or eye c of the drop rod or bar, and this chain or cord in the arrangement shown passes through the floor and under a pulley or guide-wheel f, and its other end is attached to a connecting chain or cord between the draft-damper and the check-damper. The chain or cord G, to which the chain or cord F is 'attached at one end, runs from the draftdamper H up over a pulley or guide-wheel g, thence across and over a pulley or guidewheel h, and down to the check-damper I on the end of the exit-flue from the fire chamber' or pot of the furnace. The chain or cord G in the arrangement shown has connected thereto one endj of a pull-spring J, the other endj' of which is connected to a iixed block i, attached to the ceiling or otherwise. The furnace K shown may be a hot-air furnace and may be of any of the usual and wellknown forms of construction for such furnaces, having a draft-inlet 7c, closed by the draft-damper H, and an exit-flue la', connected with which is the draft-pipe leading to the chimney and on the end of which is the checkdamper I, as usual. The chain or cord G is somewhat longer than the distance which it covers between the draft-damper and the check-damper, leaving the slack which is required for the operation of the tension-spring in causing the chain or cord to open and close both the draft-damper and the check-damper 0r to open and close only the draft-damper in the operation of the furnace.

A time-clock of any suitable construction which can have applied thereto a lifter for engaging and releasing the catch or trip-arm and allowing the drop rod or bar to descend is to be placed on the shelf or rest B. An ordinary alarm-clock having a circular case or otherwise is well adapted for the purpose, and such clock L is placed on the shelf or rest, faced to the front, with its legs or feet entered into the slots b and in such relation to the catch or trip-arm as to bring the catch or trip above the Winding-button of the clockalarm. The winding-button l, as shown, has one of its wings or finger-pieces lengthened, -so as to furnish a lifter to strike against the under face of the catch or trip-arm and raise the member c of such arm, releasing the engaging end c from the caught notch c of the drop rod or bar, and, as shown, the set-button m for the alarm furnishes a stop to limit the travel of the winding-button in passing underneath the member e' of the catch or triparm; but the formation of the winding-button can be changed, and instead o'f having the set-button of the alarm form the stop a separate stop could be provided, though the arrangement shown is preferred, as it enables an ordinary alarm-clock to be placed in the proper position to raise the catch or trip and release the drop rod or bar for the descent of the rod or bar to open the draft-damper or open the draft-damper and close the checkdamper, as may be required.

The operation is as follows: The raising of the drop rod or bar to have the catch or triparm engage with the lowermost notch of the drop rod or bar, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, closes the draft-damper-and opens the check-damper, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, and with the parts in this position the draft will be shut off and the check will be open, closing down the furnace. The alarm of the clock or other releaser for the catch or trip-arm is set to release or go off at a given hour or division of an hour, and when the clock reaches the set hour or division of hour for the release of the alarm the windingbutton of the alarm will revolve, passing underneath and engaging the arm or member e of the catch or trip-arm, raising such arm or member and moving the engaging end e of the catch or trip-arm froln beneath the notch c with which it is engaged, allowing the drop rod or bar to descend by gravity, and with the descent of the drop rod or bar into the position shown by the full lines in Fig. l the tension-spring, which has been drawn out, will return or recoil on itself, owing to the release of the draw thereon from the chain or cord F, and with such return or recoil of the tensionspring the slack of the chain or cord leading to the draft-damper (shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l) will be taken up and the chain or cord G will be drawn taut between the spring and the draft-damper, raising the draftdamper to its open position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. l, and at the same time the chain or cord G between the spring and the check-damper I, which is taut, raising the check-damper, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l, will be slacked, as shown by the full lines in Fig. l, allowing the check-damper to drop and close the check-opening, as shown by the full lines in Fig. l, thus opening the draft and closing the check simultaneously, giving the furnace a full draft. The raising of the drop rod or bar to the first notch below its upper end will only operate to close the draft-damper, leaving the check-damper also closed, allowing the furnace to operate without being. entirely shut down, and with the drop rod or bar elevated and caught in the rst notch by the catch or trip-arm the release of thecatch or trip-arm through the winding-button of the clock-alarm or other- Wise from a releaser operated at a given hour or division of hour allows the drop rod or bar to descend `into the position shown by the full IIO IZO

lines in Fig. l, and with such descent the draw of the chain or cord F on the chain or cord G to hold the spring tension partly under strain will release the spring, and the return or recoil of the spring to normal condition will operate to take up t-he slack in the chain or cord G, leading to the draft-damper, and draw such chain or cord taut, opening the draftdamper, as already described. It will thus be seen that by setting the drop rod or bar as required for an entire closing down of the furnace by shutting otf the draft-damper and opening up the check-damper or as required to only partially shut down the furnace by closing the draft-damper and leaving the check-damper closed the draft of the furnace can be changed accordingly, and it will further be seen that with the draft in either condition, with the draft-damper closed, the release of the drop rod or bar at a stated hour or division of hour through the winding-button of the clock-alarm or other releaser causes the drop rod or bar to descend, and with such descent the tension means, either the coiled spring or weight, will operate to draw the connecting chain or cord leading to the draftdamper tan t, opening the damper and applying the draft.

The device is very simple in construction as to the operation of the drop rod or bar and its retaining and releasing catch or trip-arm, as the raising of the catch or trip-arm through the clock-actuated releaser disengages the catch or arm from the rod or bar, allowing the rod or bar to descend, and with the descent of the rod or bar the opening of the draft-damper and the closing of the checkdamper are positively assured by the action of the tension drawing on the chain or cord connecting the two dampers. The drop rod or bar is positively actuated from the clock, and at the same time the construction is one which will permit of the release of the drop rod or bar at any time other than the releasing-hour, as the catch or trip-arm is clear of the clock, so that it can be raised independently of the releaser actuated by the clock, thus making the device operative both as a time-regulatorand a hand-regulator for operating the dampers. The drop rod or bar is raised easily by hand through the projecting end C, and with the raising of the rod or bar the catch or trip-arm is free to engage with the required notch automatically and hold the rod or bar in its raised position. The essential feature of the means for controlling the chains or cords for the dam per is the drop rod or bar and the release or dropping means therefor, both of which are clear of and operate independently of the clock, as well as with the clock, and for releasing or causing the rod or bar to descend the pivoted or rocking arm actuated from the alarm ofa clock or other releaser moved by the clock is an essential element, which can be varied in its construction, arrangement, and connection with the drop rod or bar and the clock, so

long as the alarm or other releaser operated from the clock is in proper relation to the pivoted or rocking arm as to perform the work of dropping or causing the rod or bar to descend.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In atime damper-regulator for furnaces, the combination of a support having an extended shelf, a vertical rod or bar slidably mounted on the support and having a notch in its body, a catch or trip-arm pivotally mounted on the support to engage the notch of the sliding rod or bar, a clock on the shelf arranged forthe winding-button of the alarm to engage and raise the catch or trip-arm out ofthe engagement with the notch, and a fixed connection between the sliding rod or bar and the draft-damper of the furnace, for the release and drop of the sliding rod or bar to operate and open the draft-damper at a predetermined time governed by the alarm, substantially as described.

2. In atime damper-regulator for furnaces, the combination of a support having an eX- tended shelf, a vertical rod or bar slidably mounted on the support and having notches in its body, a catch or trip-arm pivotally mounted on the support for engaging a selected notch in the sliding rod or bar, a clock on the shelf arranged for the button of its alarm mechanism to engage the catch or triparm and raise the free end of the arm and release the sliding rod or bar, and a connection between the sliding rod or bar and the draft and check dampers of the furnace, for the dropping of the rod or bar to open the draftdamper and close the check-damper, at a predetermined hour governed by the alarm, substantially as described.

3. In a ti me damper-regulator for furnaces, the combination of a sliding rod or bar having notches in its body, a pivoted catch or triprod or bar, a connection between the draft- IOO IIO

damper and the check-damper of the furnace common to both dampers, a connection between the sliding rod or bar and the connection of the dampers, tension means for the connection of the dampers, and a clock in juxtarelation to the sliding rod or bar andthe catch or trip-arm and having a release mechanism adapted to be set and released at a predetermined period of the time for the release mechanism to operate and disengage the catch or trip-arm to drop the rod or bar and open the draft-damper and close the check-damper, substantially as described.

e. In a time damper-regulator for furnaces, the combination of a sliding rod or bar having notches in its body, a pivoted catch or triparm engaging a selected notch of the sliding rod or bar, a connection between the draftdamper and the check-damper of the furnace common to both dampers, a connection between the sliding rod or bar and the connection of the dampers, a pull-spring having a drop the rod or bar and open the draft-damper and close lhe check-damper, substantially :o as described.

THOMAS E. HUNT.

Witnesses:

OSCAR W. BOND, SAMUEL W. BANNING. 

